Giant Loa Salamander

The Giant Loa Salamander (Caudaeassa loagemma), called Sena'a is a species of giant salamander native to Takatta Loa. They grow approximately 230 centimeters in length but become sexually mature at around 90 centimeters. They are very long lived but reproduce quickly, often having many offspring that fail to reach adulthood. They typically reach full size after 10 years but reach sexual maturity in four years. The salamanders live in the rivers of mainland Takatta Loa which often have low visibility and low oxygen, which has led to the adaptations of elecro-sensory organs and large skinfolds to absorb more oxygen from their surroundings. They feed primarily on small fish and crustaceans which live in abundance in riverine Takatta Loa.

Their size, relatively easy to procure diet and high reproduction rate means that they have become a valued livestock animal in Takatta Loa, making up a significant portion of the protein intake in certain regions. The entire animal is eaten but their tails are particularly prized and are roasted, hence the genus name Caudaeassa (lit, Roasted Tail). They have a high position in mainland Loa culture, with a common saying being that on the 29th day God created the salamander and decided creation was complete (the Loa measure time in lunar cycles and have myths that God created the world in 29 days, the typical length of a lunar cycle). C. loagemma is actually the semi-domesticated version of C. venaflume, the Wild Giant Salamander.

Evolutionary History

C. loagemma diverged from C. venaflume around 1200 to 1400 CE due to the semi-domestication of the wild species of giant salamander. C. loagemma has a notably longer tail due to selection for longer tails by the Polynesians, as well as less sticky eggs and less protection of the eggs which is thought to have arisen so the Polynesians could more easily raise the eggs themselves with more success. C. loagemma can still interbreed with C. venaflume but the offspring have a significant mortality rate. This is viewed as undesirable by the Loa as it decreases the culinary attractiveness of the salamander.

History

Consumption of wild giant salamanders dates back to Pre-Polynesian times with the ancient Vallosi who captured giant salamanders to eat. Bones have been found in fire pits dating back 3,000 BCE. When the Polynesians replaced the Vallosi, they seem to have had a greater fondness for salamanders, with a higher proportion of salamander bones found in Polynesian middens than in Vallosi. The earliest Polynesian glyphs and scripts include salamanders or salamander bones, with around three Insuo Loa syllabics and several character components being descended from these early salamander glyphs.

When fully fledged literacy emerged, sena'a entered the historical record almost immediately, with a poem by a queen of Aiaka being found dating to around 790 CE and being devoted to salamanders. She notably mentions the tail and its crispy skin, indicating an ancient fondness for the tail even by classical Polynesians. The sena'a was the symbol of around seven different palaces due to its association with abundance and fertility.

It was only in the Medieval Age that widespread cultivation of salamanders began. Eiyulkaja along with his wife Kuelaso were royal servants to the Undecimvirate lord Ngaraki, and was tasked with increasing sena'a yields. He and his wife kept a detailed record for nearly 30 years of his salamander farm and include many details on their selective breeding efforts to produce a high yield salamander cultivar. It is thought by modern scholars that this specific population were the progenitors of modern day C. loagemma. After the collapse of the Undecimvirate, the practices they established spread rapidly throughout mainland Takatta Loa, along with their specific high yield salamanders.

Salamander farming flourished for centuries, with salamanders replacing fish as the primary protein in many regions until the conquest of southern Vallos by the Loa. During the early 1700s, sena'a farming suffered greatly due to the Loa focus on cash crops like coffee, sugar and spices. In certain regions, salamander consumption collapsed entirely. By 1770 however, the Imperial government began striving to increase salamander farming due to the relatively cheap cost of production. This led to significant revitalization of C. loagemma, as well as their spread across Southern Vallos including Puertego, where they have established themselves.

During the Takatta Loa Civil War, salamander farming experienced decline yet again due to the nearly 20 years of violence disrupting production. After the war, one of the major aims of the Order of Natano was agricultural dynamism and production due to the fact that Takatta Loa lost over half its population due to the Loafication purges in conjunction with the Civil War. Salamanders were among the animals that were encouraged alongside carp and tilapia, due to a focus on wet rice agroforestry in order to maximize space efficiency and food output. This has led to a boom of salamander meat, which remains a staple of Loa cuisine to the modern day, though it is especially popular in the Masa region.